30 Dec 2003

Security concerns for resettlement of people to the West Coast region

11:16 am on 30 December 2003

All but 300 of the Solomon Islanders displaced from the formerly lawless and strife torn Weather Coast region have now returned home, but the president of the National Disaster Management Office, Loti Yates, says there is still a lot of work to be done with the resettlement.

And, he says he remains concerned about security.

"There are some areas which we are concerned about, however with the presence of the police force and the Australian and New Zealand defence force personnel, we are pretty sure we've taken care of the security situation."

Mr Yates says so far 1024 people having returned to their home villages.

He says about 300 more people will be returning on January the 14th.